04 September 2011

Annotated Game #8: Training game (English with early ..d6)

This training game was played against the "Max" Chessmaster personality (a high Class C on my system). "Max" varied from the main lines immediately with 1..d6, which is however a good and flexible move. I chose to head for a standard position featuring a fianchettoed light-squared bishop and queenside expansion plans. The benefit of the move-order chosen by Black, however, was that it allowed him to exchange off the bishop early. This was not particularly upsetting to White, although my openings database showed an improved line starting with 6. Rb1 that keeps the bishop on the board.

White had several major decision points in this game which had critical effects on the game. The first was on move 10, where I chose to go for a somewhat more unbalanced central position with the idea of being able to then undermine Black on the e-file. Black's decision to castle queenside on move 11 greatly simplified things strategically for me, as my planned pawn pushes would now threaten his king position and not just a gain in space. Black struck back in the center, however, demonstrating that was the correct reaction to a flank attack. Better defending on move 14 would then have given Black an equal game.

I again decided to pursue the more active, attacking path on move 15, passing up winning a pawn in favor of deploying the queen and increasing the pressure on Black's king position. Black passed up shutting out White's dark-squared bishop with ..d4 and paid the price, as this time I calculated the correct follow-up on move 18 and attacked down the half-open b-file. Despite some missed mating ideas for White, Black was nevertheless on the ropes and then allowed a nice tactical finish to any hopes of resistance.

The principal learning points of this game for me are:

Understanding the ..Be6 and ..Qd7 ideas stemming from an early ..d6 and ..e5 opening sequence in the English

The exchange of the fianchettoed Bishop can either be avoided or improved, per the game notes

The center should be watched more carefully when planning an early queenside expansion

I should perform additional calculation when the position is relatively unclear, for example moves 12-15

Calculating a forced variation to a winning position is fine, even if better moves are missed along the way

The analysis process itself was also rather interesting. I again had both Rybka and Fritz perform a complete game analysis and then compared the results while I stepped through it myself. There was general agreement on the key points, although some interesting differences in the move recommendations and timing of things such as Black's potential counterplay with an ..h5 push. Some other observations on the strengths and weaknesses of the computer tools will be made in a later post.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

8

8

7

7

6

6

5

5

4

4

3

3

2

2

1

1

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

ChessAdmin - Max (CM Class C)

1-0, 9/4/2011.

[#]1.c4d6
+0.222.Nc3e53.g3
+0.11Nc6
+0.184.Bg2
+0.15Be6
the point behind an early ..d65.d3Qd76.Nf3

[Main line is 6.Rb1g67.b4Bg78.b5Nd8
at which point a4 and Nd5 are both popular and rated equally by Rybka; Nd5 has fewer games but scores much higher in practice]

6...Bh3
+0.487.O-O
+0.26

[Another possibility is 7.Bxh3Qxh38.Nd5Qd79.O-O]

7...Bxg28.Kxg2Nge79.Rb1
+0.15
First move out of the database. Interestingly, Aquarium's hard-coded openings reference gives this move a +0.44 evaluation, but the Rybka engine gave a lesser result and preferred Nd5.9...Nd4?!
+0.56
This loses time for Black.

[9...g6!?10.Qb3Rb811.Qa4Bg712.b4
+0.15]

10.Re1
+0.33
first major decision point. I had also considered the alternative e3, which Rybka prefers slightly and in hindsight is probably preferable.

[10.e3Nxf311.Qxf3c512.Bd2]

10...Nxf311.exf3
With the idea of undermining the e-pawn, the reason Re1 was played.11...O-O-O
+0.41
Strategically makes White's game much simpler, as queenside expansion now also leads to an attack on the king position.12.Be3
+0.29Kb813.b4
+0.15

[13.d4
is preferred by both Rybka and Fritz, although they disagree on Black's reaction. This would among other things rule out the threatened pawn fork on d4, which I did not see at this point.]

13...d5
+0.29

[13...h5
is suggested by Fritz, starting counterplay on the kingside. Rybka and Fritz both prefer this idea, either now or later in the game (for example move 16) as more active for Black.]

14.Nb5
-0.15
exchanging on d5 would simply bring Black's pieces to life, so the pawn fork needs to be avoided.

[Rybka's preferred method is 14.Bc5d415.Qa4Qxa416.Nxa4Ng617.h4
+0.29]

14...Nc6?!
+0.72

[14...d4!?15.Bd2f616.f4a617.Na3Ng6
-0.15]

15.Qa4
-0.07
The second major decision point for White. I chose this in order to maintain pressure, instead of the alternative, which wins a pawn.

[15.cxd5!?Nd416.Nxd4exd417.Bxd4]

15...a6?!
+0.56

[15...d4!?
is again a superior defensive move.]

16.Na3Be7?
+2.3817.b5axb5
+3.7518.Rxb5
Third major decision for White and the one requiring the most calculation. I saw the bishop sacrifice idea on b6 and considered the Rxb7 idea as well, although did not see that it would lead to mate.18...Bxa3?

23...Kc724.Rb7+Kd625.Qa3+Ke626.Rxd7Rxd727.dxc4
I had calculated the attacking sequence (in multiple stages) as far as this and considered it winning, based on both the material balance and the two passed pawns.27...Rhd828.c5f529.Qa6Rc730.Rb6Kd5

[After 30...Rdc8
I had planned to simply run the a-pawn up the board, with some Queen activity thrown in, which would have led to further material losses for Black. The move played allows a nice tactical solution.]

31.Rxc6Rxc632.Qd3+Ke633.Qxd8
Resistance is now futile.33...Rxc534.a4h635.a5Rd536.Qb6+Rd637.Qb7Rd738.Qc8g539.a6Ke740.Qxd7+Kxd741.a7Kd642.a8=QKe743.Qc6h544.Qg6g445.fxg4fxg446.Qxh5Kd647.Qxg4Kc548.Qe4Kd649.h4Ke650.h5Kd651.h6Ke652.h7Kd653.h8=QKc754.Qhxe5+Kb655.Qg6+Kb756.Qe7+Kc857.Qg8#
[1-0]